Tiny Infinity
by angellwings
Summary: [episode tag to 8.10 — SPOILERS] [oneshot] [brettsey] Matt and Sylvie have a conversation after 51 gets back to the Firehouse.


**A/N: **So the show didn't have my babes interacting in 8.10 ("Stand Our Ground") and it would have been really easy to give them a brief moment so...of course I had to, lol. Here's an episode tag to this week ep. (which of course means SPOILERS.)

Happy reading!

Angellwings

* * *

Tiny Infinity

by angellwings

* * *

"Young and full of running,

Tell me where's that taking me?

Just a great figure eight or a tiny infinity?

Love is really nothing,

But a dream that keeps waking me.

For all of my trying,

We still end up dying.

How can it be?"

-"Edge of Desire" by John Mayer

* * *

After her heart to heart with Foster in the cab of the ambo, Sylvie steps out. She removes her beanie and her coat, setting them in the front seat, and then shuts the door. A hand immediately goes to her hair as she turns to check it out in the side mirror on the rig. Hat hair is her worst enemy once the weather gets cold in Chicago.

"Hey."

She starles slightly and spins on her heel, coming face to face with Matt.

"Hey," she replies, trying not to blush at being caught having a vain moment.

One corner of his mouth turns up in amusement. "Your hair's fine," he tells her.

She laughs awkwardly and nods. "Thanks."

"So, that was some impressive driving, Ambo 61," Matt praises with a proud grin.

"I mean, it was no big deal," she demures. "It's not like I'm ready for _Fast_ 20 or whatever number sequel they're on. Just had to cut him off and stay put."

"Maybe it wasn't a big deal to you," he says. "But it was to me — _to us_." He motions to Truck 81 as he corrects himself. His throat clears as he struggles to continue. Her earlier awkwardness appears to be contagious. "So, thanks."

"Anytime," she assures him. "Anything for 51. Besides, I knew you guys would have our backs."

"Anytime," he parrots earnestly.

This is the point of the conversation where they walk away or change topics. For whatever reason, the only topic she can think of is the _last_ thing she wants to hear him talk about. But above anything else, Matt is her friend. She takes a deep breath and powers through.

"Have you heard from Gabby since she left?" She asks while trying to hide the dread pooling in her gut.

He shakes his head at her and smiles sadly. "Just a voicemail on the day she left. Nothing since, and honestly, I'm not expecting anything else. She's gone back to her life and I'm back to mine."

"That's...good, though, right?" Brett asks. She's trying to read his expression. He's not making it easy on her. He doesn't seem devastated. He seems at peace with it, but it's _Gabby_ so surely it's more complicated than that?

"Yeah," he agrees as his closed lipped smile turns genuine. "I think I just needed something to...confirm what I already knew."

"And what's that?" Sylvie asks curiously.

He shifts his weight, looking uneasy as his eyes meet hers. For the first time she wonders if it's as hard for him to talk to her about Gabby as it is for her to _ask_.

"A night or a week here or there is all Gabby and I are ever going to have," he admits. He sounds resolute in that belief as if he's thought long and hard about it. "I want more than that. I want someone who wants what I want. You know? Someone to build a life with. _Together_. Someone fully invested. Not just...someone who comes around when it's convenient." He shakes himself as if he got caught up in his thoughts and said more than he intended. There's a slither of doubt in his gaze as he asks his next question. "Does that make sense?"

It makes perfect sense. That's all she wants too. All she's ever wanted. But no one's seemed to fit quite right. She's tried to force it like forcing her foot into a shoe that's a half a size too small, but eventually shoes that are too small start to pinch.

She swallows thickly and nods. "It absolutely does. You deserve that, Casey. You really do. I hope you find it."

He takes in and releases a relieved breath while his eyes scan her face. She has no idea what he's looking for, but she does her best not to squirm under the weight of his stare.

"Thanks," he replies after a poignant pause. She's not sure what the pause meant exactly, but it _felt_ important. "Did you work things out with Foster?"

She hasn't talked to him about it but she knows gossip spreads fast around 51. She's not surprised he heard about their spat.

"Yeah," she says dismissively. "We're good."

"Glad to hear it," he tells her as obvious worry lifts from his face. His eyes narrow on her briefly before he adds, "you know you're exceptionally good at your job, right? You don't need anyone to point that out to you, do you?"

She laughs lightly, blushes, and shakes her head at him. "No, I don't need anyone to point that out to me. But I appreciate it all the same."

"Just making sure," he replies with a chuckle. "Let me know if you ever need reminding."

"Likewise, Captain Casey," she says with a playful salute and a beaming smile she has no chance of containing.

He gives her a dry grin and an amused glance. She knows full well the salute was a dorky move, but what can she say? He brings out the awkward dork in her every time.

"Hey, partner!" Foster calls as she comes around the front of the ambo. "Are you still up for those smooth—" She freezes as soon as she spots Matt. "_Oh. _Sorry, was I interrupting something?"

"No, just thanking Ambo 61 for helping us get the Jaws back," Matt answers as he takes about two steps back, forcing Sylvie to realize just how close he was before.

How had she not noticed how little space he'd left between them until now?

He nods at Emily with an easy smile. "So...thanks."

"Oh, I can't take any credit. That was all because of our brilliant PIC," Foster says, winking at Sylvie with a knowing smirk.

Sylvie rolls her eyes at her troublemaking partner. "Seriously, stop. Anybody at 51 would have made the exact same call."

"Take the compliment, Brett," Casey insists teasingly. "You were a badass today. You deserve it." He takes another step back and nods toward the truck. "Well, I should get back to it. I need to make sure my guys aren't celebrating too hard to work."

They trade weak waves as he walks away. Once he's gone she bites her bottom lip and studies her the floor. She doesn't want to look up and see Foster's smug expression.

"What was that?" Foster asks with an audible grin.

"You know, just a chat. Like he said, he was thanking us for our help—"

"Thanking _you_," Emily interrupts. "He was thanking _you_ for your help."

Sylvie scoffs and finally dares to look Foster in the eye. "Yeah, so? We're _friends_. That's allowed."

"Yeah, sure, but not when paired with the flirty eye contact I walked up on," she declares with a suspicious arched brow.

"If you leave me alone about this for the rest of shift then your smoothie is on me," Sylvie offers with a tired sigh.

She really doesn't want to think about what she and Matt are or aren't any more today.

Foster's smile is secretive but Sylvie relaxes when she finally nods. "Fine, but I reserve the right to bring it back up at Molly's tonight."

She expects nothing less. "Deal."

She doesn't know what to think or feel about Matt Casey anymore. She knows what he said he wants but she also knows how huge his relationship with Gabby was. She doesn't know how to reconcile the two with what she's starting to feel for him. It's messy and complicated and easier to avoid than think about.

And that's just what she plans to do.

_For now_.


End file.
